Wringer roll control mechanism



June 1, 1937. B. E. GETZ WRINGER ROLL CONTROL MECHANISM Filed 0C(.. 31,1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1, 1937. B. E. GETZ 2,082,387

WRINGER ROLL CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Oct. 31 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'atente June 3, 137

NGER LL CQN a mi ltiihflhidtd Benjamin 1E. Gets, Mon, Ell. ApplicationOctober 31, 1934, serial No. lddfidd 14 met; (oi.

This invention has reference to a wringer roll control mechanism asapplied to a washing machine, particularly of the household type.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a manual controlmeans in operative association with a wringer roll mechanism and whichis responsive to the slightest touch of an operator for setting inoperation a power mech anism to effect a releasing of pressure normallymaintaining the rolls of said wringer mechanism in frictional wringingengagement, and simultaneously interrupting the driving power connectionto said wringer roll mechanism.

Other and further objects will more fully appear from the followingdescription.

Reference is now had to the accompanying drawings illustrating apreferred embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, illustrating myinvention applied to a well known form of washing machine wringer;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view,- as the same wouldappear if taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan, partly in section, as the same wouldappearif taken on the line 3-8, Fig. l;

Fig. 4 -is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, similar to Fig.1, illustrating the operation of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section, as the same would appear iftaken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse view, partly in section, illustrating ahand lever and connected link as the same would appear if taken on theline 85, Fig. 4, and

Fig. 'l is a view similar to Fig. 6 illustrating the membersindisconnected relation.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout thefigures.

Reference now being had tcthe drawings, i designates a wringer frame inwhich is operatively received the usual wringer rolls 2 and 3, the innerend of said frame being suitably connected to a gear housing 4. Saidhousing is supported by a depending tubular post 5, the lower end ofwhich comprises an enlarged base 6 which is seated upon a head portion Iof a stationary tubular post 8. The post 8, although not so shown, maybe suitably connected to a washing machine tub or frame of a machine ormay constitute in thedower extension thereof a leg of a machine, as isdone in many cases.

The base 8 is shown having a depending peripheral flange d overlappingthe perieral vertical side face it of the head portion or seatl. A

. plurality of notches it are provided in said side face it of theportion 5 to receive the latching end IQ of a manually operated handlever it pivotally mounted on the base 8 at it. The main body portion ofsaid lever is bifurcated at It to provide a U-shaped member whichembraces the post 5, the oppositely disposed portions of said U-shapedmember providing hand hold operating members it. A coiled spring itnormally urges the latching end it of the lever it within the lockingnotches it of the head portion 5.

It will be understood that the wringer frame and rolls designated 6, 2and 3, including the gear housing 6 and post 5 may be tested radiallyupon the head portion l of the post 8 in any desired position and lockedin such positions through the medium of the lever 98 with its latchingend it in the notches it. In other words, the wringer and housing are ofthe conventional swinging type, well known in the art.

suitable power means. The upper end of said shaft is preferably keyed toa horizontally disposed driving pinion it which, has'constantly meshingengagement with oppositely disposed gears 20 and ii which are looselymounted upon a horizontally disposed drive shaft 22, the ends of saidshaft being iournaled in bearings 23 and 24 of said housing 4.

Means for optionally clutc the gears 25 and 2| to produce rotation ofthe shaft 22 in one direction or the reverse is provided in the maleclutch member 28 slidably keyed upon the shaft 22. On opposite sidefaces of said member 25 are male clutch portions 28. which are adaptedto engage the female clutch portions 21 of the gear '20, and 28 of thegear at. The means for accomplishing the moving of the male clutchmember 25 uponithe shaft 22 into operative engagement with the gears tt-and 28 is provided in a crank member 29 which forms a depending partof a manually operated lever arm 30 disposed exteriorly of the gearhousing 4, said crank member 29 operating within the groove portion 3|of said clutch member 28.

Assuming the drive shaft it being rotated, in Fig. l the lever 30 isillustrated in neutral posiclutch member upon the shaft 22 being out ofengagement with either of the gears 20 and 2|, no rotation of said shaft22 will be effected. In Fig. 4 the lever arm 30 is illustrated in anoperative position resulting in the clutching of the member 25 with thegear 2|, thereby imparting rotation in one direction to the drivingshaft 22. In order to reverse the rotation of the driving shaft 22, itwill be apparent that it is only necessary to reverse the position ofthe lever arm 30 from the position shown in Fig. 4, such-reversedposition of the arm causing the clutch member 25 to have clutchingengagement with the gear 20 resulting in imparting a reverse rotation tothe driving shaft 22. I 1

Disposed adjacent the bearing'24 is agea 32, preferably keyed to theshaft .22 .which is adapted to have a constant meshing engagement withan idler gear 33' loosely mounted upon a preferably fixed shaft 34, seeFigs. 1, 2, and 4. Referring now particularly to Fig. 1, the wringerrolls 2 and 3 are illustrated therein in tensioned frictional engagementready for a wringing operation. The lower wringer 'roll 2 is fashionedupon a suitable shaft 2, the end portions of which are received withinbearing blocks 35 which are" adapted to be normally seated upon blockrests 36 in said frame On each of the lower portions of said blocks 35are depending stub members 31 which cooperate with similar upstandingstub members 38 provided on the base of the frame I by means ofinterposed coil springs 39 which normally urge the bearing blocks 35upwardly away from their supports 36 and tlius displace the wringer roll2 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the inoperative position shown inFig. 4, the accomplishment of which is to be described. The inner end ofthe wringer roll shaft 2' is extended somewhat beyond the limits of itsbearing block 35 and has preferably keyed to the end thereof a gear 40,preferably alike in all respects to the gear 32, and adapted to have anormal meshing engagement with the idler gear 33, whereby, asillustrated in Fig. 1, it will be apparent thatupon the properpositioning of the hand lever 30' to give rotation to the shaft 22, suchrotation will betransmitted to the gear 32, to the idler gear 34 andthence to the gear 40 and thus revolve the lower driving wringer roll 2which will normally rotate its associated wringer roll 3 by reason offrictional tensioned engagement therewith.

The upper wringer roll 3 is similarly fashioned upon a suitable shaft 3,the end portions of which are similarly received within bearing blocks4|. Each of the blocks 4|, preferably at their base portions, areprovided with laterally oppositely disposed projections 42, in whichsimilar laterally oppositely disposed projections 41 of saddle blocks48, the upperend portion of said rods being likewise threaded to receivepreferably locknuts 49. On each of the rods 44 there is provided acoiled spring 50 disposed between the pairs of end blocks 4| and 48.

A head wringer frame member 5| is adapted to overlie the top of the"wringer frame |"and have detachable connection therewith; Provided inthe interior length of said member is a manually adjustable shaft 52suitably journaled at the ends thereof. .Eccentric' members 53 aresuitably secured to said'shaft' to have bearing engagement with circularrecesses 54, one each provided in the top portion of said saddle blocks48. A manual lever 55 is preferably secured exteriorly of the framemember 5| to the inner end of said shaft 52, whereby the eccentrics .53

may be rotated within the recesses 54 of said saddle blocks 48.

' At each inner end of the shaft 52 are loosely connected dependinglinks 56, the lower end length portions .of which are provided with slotopenings 51. At each inner ,upper'end of the wringer frame I is provideda link retainer member 58 upon which the links 56 may have movement thelength of the slot openings therein. In other words,upon the releasingof the head frame member 5| from securement with the wringer frame I,said member may be removed away from said frame in a substantiallyupward direction a. distance equal the length of the slot openings 51,as illustrated in Fig. 4. The links 56 function further to prevent thecomplete separation of the frame member, 5| with its wringer frame I, aswill be understood. At the outer upper end of the wringer frame I, seeFig. l, is provided a catch member 59 adapted to cooperate in latchingmanner with a catch member 66 provided on the depending portion of thehead frame member 5| which serves to adequately lock that end of themembers and 5| and permit their quick detachment when the member 5| isreleased.

The locking and releasing of the head frame member 5| with the wringerframe I is accomplished by the following mechanism. The inner hubportion of the lever 55 is provided with a circular groove or channel 6|communicating with the periphery of the hub portion at openings 62 and63, best seen in Figs.-' 6 and '1. In Figs. 1, 4 and 6, a roller-likelug 64 forming a part of a latching plate 65 is shown disposed withinthe groove or channel 6|. The upper end of said plate is adapted to beoperatively disposed between the hub portion of said lever 55 and theend portion of said head frame member 5| and is provided with a U-shapedopening 66 to embrace the outer extension of the shaft 52. The lower endof said plate 65 is preferably tapered as at 61 to facilitate theentrance and withdrawal thereof in' the opening 68 in said wringer frameI. In the normally seated and lower end of said plate rests upon awringer frame ledge member 69, as shown in Fig. I. Said tapered endportion of the plate 65 is provided with an'opening 10 adapted toreceive the acting end 1| of a manually actuated latching rod 12, saidplate and rod shown in latched or locked position in Fig. 1 and inunlatched or released position in. Fig. 4. The latching rod 12 isadapted to have a limited longitudinal slideable and reciprocal poweredmovement between the wall of the housing Land the supporting members 13and 14, the inner. end 'of said rod 'being received within a recess 16in which-is located a small coiled spring 16 which normally urgesthe'leg 11 of the rod 12 in abutting relation with adependin'gwall ofthe housing 4, such position of the leg 11 illustrated in Fig. 1.

Provided in an enlarged depending portion "16 of the; latching rod 12 isa vertical opening in which is adapted to be operatively disposed a pushpin. 19, the upper portion of which extends outwardly of an opening 80in the gear housing 4.- A coiled spring 8| is disposed about aosassr.

the upper portion of said pin and is seated upon the upper surface ofsaid rod i2 and a. manually operable member 82 is suitably secured uponsaid upper end of the pin 19, the lower base portion of said member 82being rested upon said coiled spring, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Thefunction of the coiled spring Si is to normally support the pin 19 in aninoperative position with respect to the gear member 20 therebelow,

the acting end of said pin 19 being normally preferably flush with theend opening of said depending portion 18, see Fig. l.

The gear 20 in addition to the gear portio which meshes with the gear 19is provided with a circular groove 85 having one or more cam portionstherein as at BE in which is adapted to frame in close proximity to thewringer rolls 2- and 3, as shown. At the inner end of said wringer frameI said rods are shown bent inwardly and slightly downwardly andconnected by sui sable means, such as screws 81 to a yoke-like member 88which has a. suitable fitting relation with the member 82 and pin 18.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that to cause thepin 19 to become operatively associated with the groove 83 of the gear20 requires only the slightest touch of an operator upon themanuallyoperable member M in a downward direction; also, should it bemeanvenient for an operator to reach the remote control means 82, itwill be apparent that the operator has only to apply to either of therods 85 the slightest touch in a downward direction resulting in themember 82 and pin 19 being simultaneously actuated and thepin l9 broughtinto operative contact with the groove 83 and cams 84 thereof of thegear 20.

In Fig. 1 the wringer mechanism is illustrated ready for a wringingoperation, the wringer rolls 2 and 8 being frictionally engaged and heldin tensioned relation for the proper wringing of clothes andefabrics.Assuming the source of power is rotating the drive shaft 18, it will beapparent from Fig. 1 that the gear is will be imparting rotation to thegears 20 and 2! but on account of the neutral position of the handlgegver 30 no rotation will be imparted to the shaft Assuming the handlever is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that thegear M by reason of the clutch connection with the clutch member. 25will impart rotation in one direction to the drive shaft 22, said shaftsimilarly rotating the gear 32 which imparts rotation to the idler gear33 which transmits its rotation to the wringer roll gear til andrevolves the lower wringer roll shaft 2 and roll 2 thereon, said lowerroll 2 rotating the upper wringer roll 3 by frictional engagementtherewith, as is customary.

It will be apparent that upon the shifting of the hand lever so to anopposite position from that shown in Fig. 4, the sh fter clutch member28 will be clutched with the gear 25 resulting in the rotation of theshaft 22, gears 32, t3 and 6d, and wringer shafts 2, 3 and wringer rolls2 and 3 thereon in anopposite direction.

Should it be desirable to suddenly release the pressure between theoperating wringer rolls 2 and t, regardless of their direction ofrotation, the operator has only to apply the slightest downward touch toeither the rods 85 or directly upon the member 82, which momentarilyresults in the downward movement of the pin 18 into operative engagementwith the groove 83 forming a part of the, fast rotating gear 20. Therotating cam portions 84 cause thepin it and the rod 72 to bemomentarily reciprocated longitudinally compressing the coiled spring 18and simultaneously breaking the latching connection between the members.65 and ii, that is, the acting end II of the latching rod 12 iswithdrawn from the opening 10 in the latching plate 85 releasing saidplate, see Fig. 4. The manual actuation of either the rods 85 or thehand member 82, to cause the pin I9 to be displaced as above described,it will be understood, requires only the slightest touch on the part ofthe operator, whereupon, the coiled spring 8| lifts the pin I8immediately out of contact with the groove 88 to its normal inoperativeposition, as shown in Fig. 1.

Immediately following the power unlatching of the members TI and 85, thecompressed coiled springs 50, associated with the upper wringer roll 3,become free to force upwardly their saddle blocks 68 which bear againstthe eccentrics i3 and bodily raise the head frame member 5| fromconnection with the wringer frame I to substantially the position shownin Figs. 4 and 5. Such so-called freeing of the upper wringer roll 3from its driven association with the lower roll 2 simultaneously resultsin the compressed coil springs 38 bodily raising the bearing blocks 35and associated wringer roll 2 to the approximate position illustrated inFigs. 4 and 5, such raising of the lower roll 2 and its shaft l causingthe'wringer drive gear 40 to be lifted out of mesh with its drivingidler gear 33, thereby disconnecting the driving power to said wringerroll mechanism.

The merits of such a wringer roll control mechanism are quite obvious.In a wringing operation, should there occur a hard tangling of theclothes or fabrics to warrant a quick release of the pressure betweenthe wringer rolls, or should a part of the clothing of the operator or amember of the body, such as a hand, become accidentally drawn betweenthe operating wringer rolls, it will be apparent that only a slighttouch of either .the rods 85 or the member 82 by the operator will berequired to set into motion power means for immediately releasing thepressure between the wringer rolls 2 ands, thereby displacing the rollsfrom each other, andalso. simultaneously disconnecting the driving powerto the lower roll 2, thus eliminating to the greatest degree thepossibility of damage either to the articles being wrung or toaccidentallylodged members of the dy- It will be understood from a studyof Fig. t that the relative released position of theupper wringer roll 8is that position assumed when clothes or fabrics are still" disposedbetween the separated rolls; Upon withdrawing the clothes or fabricsfrom between the separated rolls, the upper roll- 3 would fall againstthe released lower roll 2, however, such weight would not be sufiicientto' cause the wringer gear 40 to become enmeshed with the driving idlergear 33.

To reassemble the pressure released and stopped wrlnger rolls 2 and 3 tothe normal wringing position illustrated in Fig. 1, the operator firstmoves the hand lever 30 to the neutral position shown in Fig. 1 to stopthe rotation of the driving shaft 22 and its connected rotative elementspreviously referred to, it being understood that the power driven maindrive shaft- It! may continue to run, including the gears 20 and 2|, ifdesired.

The operator next latches the connecting members 59 and 60 located atthe outer end of the head frame member 5| and the wringer frame I, asshown in'Fig. 1, and following the lowered movement of the head framemember 5|, the lever 55 is preferably moved from the locked positionshown in Figs. 1, 4 and 6 to the plate releasing position illustrated inFig. 7, such movement of the lever 55 incidentally rotating theeccentrics 53 on the shaft 52 to a position substantially opposite thatshown in Fig. 5; also, such movement of the lever releases theengagement of the roller like lug 64 within the circular groove'GB,whereupon the tapered end 51 of said plate is guided into the recessedopening 68 in the frame I. At this point, the latching end 'H of the rod12 may be removed away from the opening 68 to permit the free downwardpassage of the end of the plate 65 in normal seated engagement upon theledge 69 in different manner. Should it be that the main drive shaft I8is rotating and with it the gear 20, a similar slight downward touch ofthe rods 85 or the member 82 will cause the pin 19 to enter the groove83 and be momentarily reciprocated by one of the cam portions 84,thereby unobstructing the opening 58 and permitting the downward passageof the latching end of the plate 65 followed by the latching end II ofthe rod 12 entering the opening Ill in said plate 65 in looking relationtherewith, in the manner shown in Fig. 1. With the power disconnectedfrom the main driving shaft l8, asmight be the case, this same operationmay be accomplished by momentarily manually reciprocating the rod 12 bymoving either the rods 85 or the member 82' longitudinally, compressingthe coiled spring 16 and thereby displacing the-latching end H topermitthe downward passage of the latching end of the plate 55. In themanual longitudinal operation of displacing the rod 12, the pin I9 neednot be caused to be pressed downwardly since with the gear 20stationary, no resultant power reciprocal action of the rod 12 wouldfollow.

In the reassembling steps so far described, it will be understood thatthe lowering and partial locking of the head frame member 5| upon thewrlnger frame I restores the wrlnger rolls2 and 3 in a slight tensionedrelation, since the springs 39 in the lowering of the lower roll 2become compressed in the remeshing of the wringer roll gear 40 with thenow stationary idler gear 33. The final pressing downward of the innerend of the head frame member 5| with the hand lever '55 in the positionshown in Fig. '7 permits the entrance of the roller-like lug 54 intopreferably the opening 62 of the channel or groove 5|, whereupon theoperator moves the lever 55 to substantially the position illustrated inFig. 6

' which results in the eccentrics 53 bearing downwardlyupon the saddleblocks 48 and compressing the coiled springs 50 andsimultaneouslycompressing the upper wringer roll 3 upon the lower wringer roll 2 intensioned frictional engagement therewith, ready for a wringingoperation as shown in Fig. 1.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with separable cooperatively related rolls, a frame,means for yieldably pressing them together in said frame, including amanual control, power means for effecting rotation of the rolls whenunder pressure including a connection adapted to be broken between thesource of power and the rolls, and means supplemental to said manualcontrol including an actuator operable under relatively light pressurecompared to that required to operate the manual control and to operateamember arranged to be engaged with a member on the power means so thatsaid supplemental means will effect release and separation of the rollsand enable breakage of said connection to stop the rotation of the rollsunder power and leave both of them free to turn independently of thepower means.

2. The combination with separable cooperatively related rolls, a frame,means for yieldably pressing them together in said frame including amanual control, power means for effecting rotation of the rolls whenunder pressure including interruptable gearing between the power meansand the rolls, and means supplemental to said manual control includingan actuator operable under relatively light pressure compared to thatrequired to operate the manual control and to operate a member arrangedto be engaged with a member on the power means so that said supplementalmeans will effect release and separation of the rolls and enabledisconnection of said interruptable gearing to stop the rotation of therolls under power and leave both of them free to turn independently ofthe power means.

3. In 'a wrlnger, separable cooperatively related rolls, a frametherefor, manuallyoperable means for effecting the desired normalpressure between the rolls, power driving means for the rolls, andemergency releasing instrumentalities including a sensitive manualcontrol for initiating the release operation, and means operativelyassociated therewith to cause the power to release and thereby permitseparation-of the rolls and enable freeing the rolls from the drivingmeans whereby they are both free for rotation independently of thedriving means.

4. In a wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, power means for driving the same, manually operativemeans for creating the desired normal pressure between the rolls, areleasable latch member detachably connected at one end with said manualmeans, and a releasable latch member associated with the other endthereof operatively associated with the power means whereby to bereleased by said power means.

5. In a wrlnger, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, power means for driving the same, manually operativemeans for creating the desired normal pressure between the rolls, areleasable latch member carried at one end by said manual means, and adriving-power releasable latch member associated withthe other endthereof.

6. In a wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe .therefor, power means for driving the same, manually operativemeans for creating the desired normal pressure between the rollsincluding a hand-control, a shaft operated thereby, and camming meansthereon, a link carried at one end by said hand-control, and areleasable latch on said frame and cooperatively related to the otherend of said link.

7. In a wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, power means for driving the same, manually operativemeans for creating the desired normal pressure between the rollsincluding a hand-control, a shaft operated thereby, and camming meansthereon, a latch connection carried by said hand-control, a releasablelatch on said frame and cooperatively relatedv to said connection, and asensitive manually controlled power means for releasing the latch.

8. Ina wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, a frametherefor, power means for driving the same, manually operative means forcreating the desired normal pressure between the rolls including ahand-control, a shaft operated thereby, and camming means thereon, alatch connectionseparably carried by said hand-control, a releasablelatch on said frame and cooperatively related to said connection, and asensitive manually controlled power means for releasing the latch.

9. A pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, a frame therefor,manually operable means for creating the desired normal pressure betweenthe rolls, -a power drive for the rolls, latching means for maintainingthe rolls in driving relationship, and means for releasing the latchcomprising a sensitive control memher, and a rotating cam member on thepower drive cooperating therewith to release the latch.

10. In a wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, mannally controllable means for creating the desirednormal pressure between the rolls, a power drive for the rolls includinga driven gear on one of them, a driving gear in axial relation-- shipthereto, and a common gear meshing with both of said driving and drivengears to impart motion from one to the other, latching mechanism adaptedon its release td permit separation of the rolls and separation of thegearing including a member movable in a path parallel to the axis of thedriving and driven gears, a sensitive manual actuating member for thelatch including a cooperating part to effect release of the latch bypower.

11. In a wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, manual means for creating the desired pressuretherebetween, a powerdrive for said rolls including a driving gear andshaft therefor, a latch for retaining the rolls in normal relationshiphaving a part movable in a plane parallel to the axis of said shaft, asensitive control member for the latch, and a member mounted to rotatewith said shaft to cooperate, with said control in effecting release ofthe latch by power.

12. In a wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, manual means for creating the desired normal pressuretherebetween, a power drive for the rolls, and a releasemechanismincluding a latch, a sensitive control member for the latch mounted inadjacence to the rolls, .a pin'adapted to be depressed by the latter,and a cam moving with the drive cooperating with said pin to release thelatch by power.

13. In a wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, manual means for creating the desired normal pressuretherebetween, a power drive for the rolls, and a release mechanismincluding a latch, a sensitive control member for the latch mounted inadiacence to the rolls, a pin adapted to be depressed by the latter, anda cam moving with the drive cooperating with said pin to release thelatch by power, in combination with an auxiiiary manually engageablemeans for depressing said pin in lieu of operating said first mentionedsensitive means.

14. Ina wringer, a pair of separable cooperatively related rolls, aframe therefor, power means for driving the same, manually opera-

